THE TEAM

We’ve invested in a few companies and started and grown others. We’ve had tremendous successes and some failures. We haven’t seen every movie, but know most of the plots. We want to help passionate entrepreneurs realize their dreams, and we go to great lengths to make it happen – far beyond Vast’s invested capital.

DOUG CHERTOK

Managing Partner

After 15 years of starting and operating real estate & hospitality companies and venture funds, Doug founded Vast Ventures in 2004. Through Vast, he has started and invested in over 70 companies. He loves challenging established industries with new ideas.

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TALIA ZAPOLANSKI

Head of Investor Relations

Following seventeen years in finance working with investors around the globe, Talia co-founded a proptech software platform in 2019. Enthralled by the world of tech and venture, she joined Vast Ventures in 2022.

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ANIQ RAHMAN

Managing Partner

Aniq left Cornell University to grow and sell his first company, and never looked back. Before joining Vast in 2014, he was the CEO at Instinctiv (acquired by SoundCloud), and later became President of Moat (acquired by Oracle).

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SEAN MCCROSKEY

Senior Associate

Previous investor at Atento Capital, the venture capital arm of one of the largest community foundations in the country and alumnus of the Venture for America fellowship. Joined Vast in 2022.

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